Archives: Washington Policy Watch

In old mythology, during the reign of Zeus and Hera, there lived a large tribe of tiny people called the Pygmies. Only two and a half feet tall, they were industrious craftspeople, creating the finest silver, cotton and silk wares in the ancient world. But every winter, flocks of cranes would darken the sky.…

Cheerleaders of “prosperity” have treated the economic boom in Seattle like sports fans. When the Seahawks won the Super Bowl in 2014, crowds filled the streets chanting, “We did it!” While the people in the street didn’t literally touch the ball or score a touchdown, they felt like they had accomplished some…

The number of people in Washington State without health insurance continued to drop in 2016, according to new data released this week by the Census Bureau. In fact, every state has seen a decrease in uninsured rates since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) came into effect. Overall, 94 percent of Washingtonians ha…

As ballots are counted across King County, it looks like Prop 1 has failed. It had a worthy purpose – making art more accessible to low-income residents – but it was paid for with yet another sales tax in a city that feels that it’s been taxed enough. But it feels that way because some residents are paying mo…

Last week, the Social Security Trustees published their 269-page annual report on the health of the Social Security Trust Funds, which hold the assets that will help fund future retirement benefits for Social Security recipients. In sum, the future of Social Security is bright, as long as some adjustments are…